Baker at ten

LISA BAKER has marked 10 years as the MP for Maylands by thanking the local community and all her furry and feathered friends.

First elected in September 6 2008, she says “it’s been quite a journey representing the wonderful community of Maylands for the past 10 years.”

A known lover of animals, she adds “of course I include animals in my community!”

“In particular, the last 18 months in government where we have saved Carter’s wetlands, seen the exciting planning in process for a new Bayswater station and started to end the awful practice of puppy farming.”

After a couple of stints as acting speaker of the lower house, she was named deputy speaker on May 11 2017.

Ms Baker’s successful campaigns include the community-led fight to stop Coles and Woolworths opening liquor barns in Maylands (the fight against Woolies was won this week, see “Booze barn win” on page 2).

She was also the key campaigner to expunge the criminal records of men who’d been prosecuted under century-old, now-scrapped anti-homosexuality legislation.

Despite the laws being off the books, the convictions remained.

She used her budget reply speech in 2016 to implore parliament to clear these men who’d been convicted over consensual relationships, saying the convictions were “an embarrassing blemish on our moral obligations to a community that I care deeply about”.

This week, legislation to allow those records to be expunged passed through both houses of parliament.

Ms Baker signed off by saying “thank you to the passionate community members who have worked alongside me and brought me their concerns, ideas and vision for the community”.